Corrupt Power
by RoswellianKiki
Summary: Tess lovers do not read. Takes place after my last fic "True Destiny" however, it stands alone (makes perfect sense)


"Wow," Alex thought to himself, "I never knew what it would be like to well…die, and then be reaccepted into society

TITLE: Corrupt Power I

Author: Kiki

Disclaimer: You know the drill, I don't own Roswell.

Distribution: Let me know first.

Setting: Takes place after my last fic True Destiny

Rating: Pg 13

Email: [roswellian_kiki@hotmail.com][1]

FEEBACK IS LIKED

Category: SCI FI FUN (contains M/L, M/M, I/A)

"Wow," Alex thought to himself, "I never knew what it would be like to well…die, and then be reaccepted into society. It's weirder than I had imagined." Alex had "died" so to speak. The town of Roswell had buried him and all of his secrets over a week ago, and finally were accepting that he was indeed who he had said he was. He sat back in his desk and looked at his history teacher like he was listening. He glanced around the room. When he had first returned, he was greeted with fear, like some kind of ghost. Of course, it wasn't as if superstition was uncommon in Roswell…

"Mr. Whitman, Mr. Whitman," Miss Mandell (the history teacher) came up to Alex's desk and banged her ruler on it. "Mr. Whitman! Please come back to us! Just because you disappeared for two weeks for no reason, is no excuse to not pay attention in my class! Do you understand?"

Alex nodded, "Yes ma'am!" Some people never changed, no matter what circumstance threw in their way. Miss Mandell was one of those people. Being new to teaching this year, one would think she wouldn't be so strict, but to each his own. Alex's mind began to drift again. He thought about how Kivarr had taken over his mind, and he was in control of it. If it hadn't been for the loyalty of his friends, he could have been possessed for centuries. Miss Mandell shot an evil glance in Alex's direction, he counteracted it with a smile. She turned back to her chalkboard.

****

*DING DING*

The bell was loud and obnoxious. One of the few things Alex hadn't missed about Roswell when he had been mentally kidnapped. He picked up his books and walked into the hall.

"Alex! You're still going for the battle of the bands, right?" it seemed that every time Alex stepped into the hall, he was bombarded with a teacher or acquaintance attempting to understand why he had so illicitly "faked" his death.

Alex turned to see his band teacher, Mr. Mac, "Mr. Mac, I don't know, missing two weeks of school takes its toll. I have tons of work to catch up on!" The truth was Alex didn't have any work to catch up on. Liz was so good about helping out when people needed it the most. Lately he hadn't been working on his homework, he had been practicing the powers he had acquired when Kivarr had taken over his body.

"I understand. Still, you're always welcome."

Alex nodded, and walked towards Liz and Maria at the end of the hall.

"Hey, Maria DeLuca, you are one spicy chica!" Alex liked to tease his gal pals, particularly Maria.

"You better believe it!" Maria blew him a kiss. She was good at that—good at playing a joke out thoroughly. "So, whatcha been up to Mr. Martian?"

Liz looked both ways, "SHHHHHHH! Maria, someone will hear you!"

"If they hear me, I'll tell them it's his new nickname. That's why he disappeared—he was abducted!" Maria began to make weird spaceship noises. She was glad to have Alex out of her house, and in his own. It took her mom and the sheriff hours to come up with a plausible excuse for his disappearance, and what they came up with wasn't that plausible. Still it worked. "No, I'm just joshing. We all know that Alex's Sweden host family took him captive for his musical talent" Maria stifled a laugh.

Alex nodded. "Yea, those Swedes, they're all mad!" Alex tried not to laugh himself. He wondered whether the sheriff and Ms. DeLuca put any thought into the excuse at all.

Liz shook her head, laughing at her two best friends. "Have you guys seen Max?"

"Last time I saw him, he was in the parking lot playing basketball with Space boy." 

"Thanks, I'll see you guys later!" Liz ran towards the door. She couldn't wait to see Max. She hadn't seen him for a week—man, did the flu ever suck! He came by with some chicken soup, but they couldn't talk…she didn't have a voice at the time. 

******

"Yea, we'll take you on, and we'll beat you too!" Micheal called across the court.

"Micheal—" Max touched his friends arm.

Micheal pulled it away. "I say we make it interesting too. How bout a friendly wager of $50?"

Max's eyes widened, "Micheal—"

"Your on punk!" the school basketball team captain retorted. Peter Lancer was incredibly tall, and quite large. Max didn't want to imagine how much his parents spent on food each month. "Kyle Valenti's on my team though!"

"I'd rather—" Kyle began to speak.

"Good, I've got Max!" Micheal retorted.

And so the game began. Micheal threw the ball to Max, who effortlessly made a three point shot. Micheal nodded, "We're gonna win…we've got to win, or I can't pay my rent. Just remember what's on the line Maxwell."

"If you can't pay the rent, why did you bet—"

"That's not important now, what's important is that we kick their butts! We're superhuman—we can do it!"

"I'd rather not use any power---"

"Trust me."

The game continued, and it was tied when Liz came out.

"Max!" Liz called out.

Max turned to look at her, and got a basketball in the head. Liz's eyes widened, and she ran onto the court to see if he was all right. "Max, you're bleeding." Liz rummaged through her purse, and grabbed a tissue. She dabbed at his wound—the wound he'd taken for looking her way. She smiled, he smiled back. His dimples displaying his once apparent innocence.

"Max, are we gonna keep playing, or is a little injury gonna keep you out of the game?" Micheal was trying hard to get Max to make his move. 

"He shouldn't play anymore Micheal, I mean, he's bleeding," Liz tried to stand up for her one true love.

Max nodded. He didn't want to play anyway. "That's probably a good idea." Max's eyes scanned the school ground, and he spotted Tess. "Tess!" he called to her. Just like a lost puppy dog, Tess ran to Max's side.

"Yes Max, what can I help you with today?" Tess tried to hide her spite that Liz was with him.

"Can you fill in for me?" Max asked pointing to the basketball game.

"If you want me to."

Max nodded. He knew how much Micheal needed the money.

******

"I suggest the chocolate cake," Liz gave Max her recommendation. The booth at the Crashdown was comfortable. It hugged Liz's body like a hug.

Max nodded. "I've had it before."

"Max, I—we need to talk," Liz had a certain urgency in her voice.

"What about?" Max folded his menu and listened whole-heartedly.

"About…well…us," Liz hesitated. "I mean, I know I want to be with you—"

Max took her hand, "And I want to be with you."

"I know, but maybe you can't."

"But Serena said—"

"I know what Serena said, "Destiny is what you make of it." It's just that, maybe one day you'll leave me, and I don't think I could handle that. I do love you Max, it's just—well—"

"Liz, I wouldn't leave you. Even if it meant the end of the world—yours—and mine," Max looked into Liz's eyes. He could see how much this was hurting her. They had just gotten back together and now she was suggesting a separation, it didn't make sense to Max.

"Please, Max, don't." Liz got up and walked out of the Crashdown in tears.

Max sat back and swallowed hard, could what have just happened, actually have happened?

******

The waitresses in the Crashdown looked at each other. "What's wrong with him?" Sarah asked Elly.

"I don't know. Last thing I know, he was having a full conversation with himself, and now he's in tears. Well, he's Liz Parker's boyfriend, but he is definitely weird," Elly replied to Sarah.

"Poor guy, he's really lost it!"

******

"Micheal, where's Max, I haven't been able to find him anywhere," Liz looked at a sweaty Micheal Guerrin.

"Last I saw him, he was with you," Micheal had a bit of edge in his voice. Max followed Liz everywhere. No respect for his friends anymore.

"I haven't seen him since he visited me when I was sick," Liz gave Micheal a confused expression. 

"Remember, you interrupted our game, and took Max away, causing me to play with Tess, remember?" Micheal was beginning to be irritated.

"I've been with Isabelle most of the afternoon," Liz shook her head. "I wanted to look for Max, but I needed some fashion advice, so I talked to Is. What do you mean I took Max away?"

"I watched you!" Micheal's blood was beginning to boil.

"NO, I DIDN'T!" Liz was angry now.

"I saw you do it too!" Tess had arrogance in her voice, and Kyle nodded in agreement. "You're just lucky that we won this basketball game!"

"Just ask Isabelle, I didn't see Max!" Liz hated being called a liar.

******

Max needed to get away. He got up out of the booth at the Crashdown and ran home, that way he could blow off the steam that built up inside. He needed to be by himself. He thought that Liz and him could be together now, but obviously not. Why did she lead him on? He was angry and hurt, and confused. His speed quickened. His house was only blocks away, and instantly found himself at the front door. He reached for his key, and unlocked it. 

"Hi honey!" Diane Evans called from the kitchen.

Max acted as if he hadn't heard. He ran upstairs to his room and packed his back. He needed to get away. He shoved his things into his gym back. Max lifted his mattress and picked up the money underneath it. He ran out the door, and into Bob, the jeep.

******

"Yea, Liz and I have been together all afternoon, why do you ask?" Isabelle didn't like being bombarded with questions. "Something strange is going on, and I don't like it. Is Max in trouble?"

"He might be," Micheal mused. 

"The truth is, we don't know anything," Tess tried to straighten things out for Isabelle. She knew how close Isabelle was to her brother.

Alex ran into the room, "Thank God you guys are all ok!"

"Alex, what's wrong?"

"I just had a feeling, you know, like a gut instinct or something. I felt like—well—like something bad is going to happen. Not bad in the right and wrong sense of the word, but in the evil sense."

Upon hearing this, the group gathered at the table surrounding Isabelle exchanged glances.

In an afterthought, Alex inquired, "Where's Max?"

******

Max was steamed. The jeep could feel his anger through his driving. Wow, he had really set himself up this time! He had honestly began to believe that him and Liz had a chance. A chance that she, for whatever reason, did not want to take. The tears streamed down Max's face. He pulled over at the side of a country road. He put his head on the steering wheel and cried. He couldn't handle it. Everything was contradicting itself. Everything he had been taught about love and life was contradicted by the fact he was of earth. Max looked out the window, and saw the rain pouring down. What fitting weather! Max sat up in his chair. Where was he going to go? 

He reached into the backseat to grab his map. Suddenly an arm held him in a choke hold with a knife as a weapon! Max tried to pull down on the assailant's grip, but he couldn't. In a matter of seconds, he was unconscious.

******

"We need to find Max before anyone gets suspicious," Isabelle looked at the group sitting in the back room of the Crashdown.

"I say we let Valenti and Amy know that Max is missing, that way Valenti can see if he skips town," Alex was using his head. He glanced at Isabelle to see she was looking at him. Her expression said it all; she didn't want to be alone. She was scared. Her and Max had always been close, and now…well…he was missing. Alex walked towards her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She moved her hand on top of it.

"I'll tell my mom," Maria nodded in agreement. She looked at Micheal. As much as he wanted to be in charge all of the time, she knew deep down he was glad he wasn't, and the fact that he was in charge now scared him.

"And I'll go tell sheriff Valenti," Liz wanted Max to be found, she just had to see him. Her heart was bursting with emotion. Was Max all right? Was he hurt, bleeding somewhere in the desert. She needed to be reassured.

"I'll go with her," Tess said.

"And Alex and I can check our house. You never know, maybe he needed a nap," Isabelle was trying to look on the positive side.

"Ok, Maria and I will look around Roswell to see if we can find him. We meet back here in one hour!" Micheal felt a sudden urgency.

With that, the group disappeared to fulfill their tasks.

******

Max felt groggy and disconnected. He opened his eyes to a blur, and was quick to close them. He came to the realization that he was being held somewhere. And yet he knew not by whom. He stood up with his eyes closed, apparently he was just coming to. He found his hands bound together, but not with rope (which he could easily use his powers to get out of). Whoever had taken him captive knew that what his powers were, and what to use to defeat them. He moaned. Wow, he was really beat up, but the last thing he remember was being a head lock, which made absolutely no sense, unless someone was trying to take revenge on him—kick him while he was down. Max opened his eyes and allowed them to adjust to the light. He found his right eye incredibly hard to open, it sealed itself shut from the swelling. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he could see he was being held in a warehouse of sorts. Where, he had no idea. Max sighed. Well, he just had to wait…to understand what would be his royal fate.

******

"Max isn't at home," Isabelle announced to the group. "Did you guys have any luck?"

"Isabelle, have a seat," Maria was trying to be sensitive. Maria looked at Liz, "You'd better sit down too." Maria waited until the two people who cared about Max the most were seated. "We found Bob abandoned just outside of Roswell. Now—it doesn't mean anything bad happened, maybe he took a walk through the country," Maria could see the tears in Isabelle and Liz's eyes. Micheal walked over and hugged Isabelle, catching her tears on his shirt. He was the only one who really understood what Max meant to Is.

"This isn't like him," Isabelle spoke through her tears, "he lets me know almost everything." She wiped her eyes.

"For all we know, he went off with that replica of Liz that Micheal and Tess told us about," Maria suggested.

"Like that's reassuring!" Liz's turn for sarcasm. "Obviously this other me, is not good news…"

The sheriff and Amy DeLuca joined the group. "Find him?"

"Just the jeep…"

"Liz, you've connected with Max before, sent him a warning," Micheal was asking her, "could you do it again?"

"I think so, but I haven't—"

"It can't hurt to try," Tess' voice cracked. She loved Max, but his heart belonged to Liz.

Liz closed her eyes to search for the love of her life.

******

Max awoke again. It seemed that he kept slipping in and out of conciousness. He had a familiar salty taste in his mouth—blood. He spat out the thick red goop. Again, he woke in the warehouse. It was cold and unfamiliar. How could he get out of this mess? He looked around, trying to find someway out. Max couldn't see a door in the entire building. That was odd, how were people supposed to get in and out? Whoever was holding him was definitely not of this earth.

"Oh, my dear Zan, have you awoken?" all Max could hear was the voice. It didn't appear to have a face—perhaps he was hallucinating. "I've brought you hear so that we can cut a deal…" the voice trailed off.

"Really?! Because I thought you brought me here to kill me," Max called as loud as he could. "If you want to bargain for my life, we'll be here a long time—it's not that important in the cosmic scheme of things!" 

"Zan, all you have to do is give the crown over to me, and acknowledge that I am a better ruler."

Max spat at the ground, "That would have been at you, if you weren't wearing a coward's clothes! Hiding in the shadows…"

Max heard this rattling against the building, and then he saw this ray of light upon the wall. He watched intently as the light turned into a hole in the wall, allowing people to pass in and out. He watched as Rath stepped through the hole.

"I should have known you'd be behind this…" Max started to accuse the version of Micheal.

Rath knelt on the floor, and another figure appeared out of the hole, it was Nicholas. Nicholas moved to the side opposite Rath beside the hole. Max wasn't so quick to accuse him. Nicholas knelt down, assuming a position similar to that of Rath.

Then came a figure Max did not recognize. By appearance, Max guessed that man to be twenty-one years old, however, he knew not to judge by appearances anymore. The man came towards Max. Max swallowed hard. 

"May I present to you his royal majesty, and king of the universe," the man that Max did not know, spoke, "His royal excellency—Kivar." The man knelt where he stood as another figure entered the room.

Max totally intrigued by this ritual watched as a fourth figure entered the room. The man was tall, and youthful; dressed in black robes, and couldn't have been much older than Max. His dark hair and thick eye brows were like Hitler's. His eyes were set closely together, and his evil appearance was accented by a smug look on his face. 

"My dear Zan, you don't look well," Kivar tormented, "have you been in a fight?" Kivar cackled. He gave his smug, evil smile to Max. "The planet is mine Zan, and you'll never have it again. I'm in absolute power!"

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely," Max looked through the man. "You won't win, when people are unhappy revolution occurs."

"You haven't changed one bit! Your mother would be proud, if she were alive. I killed her yesterday," Kivar said it so casually.

"Are you trying to give me moral precedence to kill you?" Max's anger was growing.

"No, just trying to let you know the full extent of my power. Now, where is the granolith?" Kivar swallowed hard. Max just looked away. Kivar grabbed Max by the shirt and repeated the question, "Where is the granolith?"

Max spat in Kivar's face, "Do what you will to me, but I will never reveal the location."

Kivar released Max and wiped his face, "Hmmm. Still trying to protect earth? One would think you would have learned by now! That's how I kicked you out of power the first time! You told the council that earth just hadn't evolved into us yet, that one day they would…and look where it got you. On the planet you loved so much, and dead back home! All I wanted was a planet to rule, and I got my wish—yours. You wouldn't let me have this one, so I took yours!"

"You will never gain power of this planet."

"Won't I? I will! You said the same thing about your planet!"

"I have a secret for you Kivar," Max waited till the man leaned in towards him. Max lowered his voice, "I'm not the same me! The mistakes I made in the past don't pertain to who I am today! The people you once knew, no longer exist. They died, and their mother sent their souls to earth, to save the galaxy. But, situations mold who you become, and I guarantee you, ALL of us have changed."

Kivar stepped away from Max, "Your friends will come for you, and when they see the tortures I'll put you through, they will give in—to make me stop. The granolith will be mine, dear Zan!"

******

Liz slowly tapped into Max's brain. She saw what he saw. It was a warehouse, abandoned, without any windows or doors. She scanned the room and spotted Rath and Nicholas, and then two she did not. Liz jumped minds, and entered into Rath's brain. She watched in amazement as he opened the wall with a beam of light. Through his eyes, she looked out onto the road, taking note of the street signs. Liz widened her eyes and came back to reality. Everyone was looking at her.

"I know where Max is," Liz expressed ominously.

******

"Max Evans, very home grown, I like the identity you assumed—I find it favorable," Kivar's eyes glowed bright yellow.

"What are you?" Max ran his tongue over his swollen lip.

"I took over this body temporarily—like I did your friend's—Alex Whitman, right? I found his life to be—well—rather dull," Kivar was very choosy with his words. "Besides, I'm finding other ways to take over the universe. You just happened to be a 'bump in the road', an obstacle easily passed."

"If I'm so easy to pass, why haven't you succeeded in moving over this bump yet?" Max moaned.

"All in due time old chap. All in due time."

******

"New York City. You can bet the dupes are behind it—well the dupe," Isabelle was leading this meeting. She had to remember there were only two left, and as far as the group knew, Ava wasn't evil.

"Right, but one dupe against all of us—not a hope," Tess was getting smug.

"Don't get too confident. I also saw Nicholas, and two other figures in my vision," Liz made sure the group remembered everything.

"To the granolith. It's time to travel in style," Michael now took some authority. He was second in command after all.

"I say some of us stay behind. We can't be too careful. If we all go, we could be getting into a trap—together," Alex, as usual used his head. "Any volunteers. If need be, I'll stay alone, but in all seriousness of the matter, we can't all go. It's not a strategic plan."

No one seemed to hear Alex but Liz and Maria who agreed to stay with him. They knew he was right. As the group wandered off to the granolith, the three human friends sat in a booth at the Crashdown, awaiting the news. 

******

"I don't get it. They've been gone for over an hour, and you gave them the address," Maria was getting irritated. "It's just like Michael to get them all lost."

"What if they're not lost Maria?" Alex had a bad feeling about this.

"What do you mean, not lost?" Maria knew Michael—he'd get lost.

"I mean what if it was all a ploy to learn something about our alien friends?"

Liz took in a deep breath. For most of this conversation she had remained silent. "Something's wrong. If Max were all right, I'd know in my heart of hearts, but all I'm feeling is more pain and suffering. Just like when he was in the white room at the FBI headquarters."

"Are you suggesting we follow them, when all they are is lost?" Maria seemed determined to believe that Michael was only lost.

Alex turned to her, "Yes, I am."

"We don't know how to use the granolith, or have alien brainwaves." 

"According to Serena, I'm one of them temporarily, and more than likely can use it," Alex was trying to get Maria to budge on the issue.

"We wait one more hour before we try," Maria was bargaining now.

"A lot can happen in an hour—in an hour our friends could be dead!!" Alex was getting frustrated.

"Alex, that could happen at any time. Just cool it, and wait one hour," Maria urged him

Liz nodded. "We don't want our friends thinking we can't trust them."

Alex sat back in his seat and pouted. He knew he was right, they were in trouble…

******

"Micheal, how could you get us lost?!" Isabelle smacked him across the head. "We had the ADDRESS!"

"Here it is!" Micheal was proud to get the group to the abandoned warehouse with no way in. "I told you I could get us there."

"Yea, an hour later," Tess mumbled under her breath to Kyle. He stifled a laugh.

"Going in!" Micheal held out his hand and opened the hell gate of the warehouse.

The group walked through the opening, only to be attacked by an army of skins who caught the group off guard, and held them prisoner.

"Welcome to my humble abode!" Kivar ranted.

Micheal scanned the room and spotted a thoroughly beat-up Max. All seemed lost. Now all Micheal could depend on was Maria's womanly charms to get him out of this mess—little good that would do! He had acted without thinking—again! When would he learn? Micheal looked at Max, "You all right!"

"Peachy keen," Max moaned.

"Silence!" Kivar was obviously a bitter man. He looked at Isabelle. "How are you my darling Vilandra?"

"I'm not Vilandra. My name is Isabelle Evans, I live at 1250—" Isabelle refused to give into Kivar's charms.

"Silence, Vilandra!" 

"What would you like me to do with the prisoners, my liege?" Nicholas addressed Kivar as he knelt on the ground.

"Tie them up with the other one—they're in for quite the beating. Until one of them gives in…" Kivar stopped. "Where is the granolith?"

"What's a granolith?" Isabelle decided to play it dumb.

Kivar looked at Nicholas, silently telling him to follow through with his orders. Nicholas complied. 

"Now, who's first?" Kivar looked intently on the group.

******

Another hour had gone by. "All right Alex, you win, we'll follow them, but I still think Micheal got them hopelessly lost—" Maria gave in.

"Let's move to the granolith," Alex couldn't wait to take action.

Liz nodded and followed the two out the door.

******

Kivar stood in front of his hostages, and had Nicholas set up a big white screen. Behind it, there was equipment; technology that the group had never seen. Kivar turned to his prisoners, "Our planet is going to watch me defeat you on national television! Isn't it exciting, you get to be stars! Particularly you, Zan," he took a breath, "all we need to do is set this up…"

"So is he as weird as he seems?" Micheal whispered to Max.

"Worse. A real psycho if you get my drift," Max's lip throbbed with pain. "What's the plan?"

"Plan?" Micheal was confused.

"Yea, you know what we're going to do to get out of this—wait—you didn't come here without a plan did you?" Max's concern was growing.

"Hey, all my mission was, was to find you, and I must say, I succeeded."

"Yea, your average genius," Max rolled his eyes. How were they going to get out of this mess? Death didn't scare him, it was the fact that he 'was a bump in the road' that did. Kivar had referred to him as a bump in the road. If that was true, Kivar wasn't only looking for domination on Max's homeworld, but on earth. He had to stop the sinister man, or his family (earthly one) would suffer the consequences—Liz would suffer the consequences.

"Alex will come for us," Isabelle closed her eyes.

"Sure," Micheal sounded very sarcastic. "And Maria will be the attack team."

"Why is he filming us on television?" Tess inquired.

"It's a dictator thing. They show the torture of 'saviours' to the race, and then kill them. Signifying that the people will never get out of the oppressor's power," Isabelle found the process quite fascinating.

"Since when did you like history?" Max mused.

"Alex was reading it, and I looked over his shoulder. No big deal," Isabelle almost took offence at the thought of being engrossed in her studies. "I prefer clothes to books—"

"This isn't really the time, or the place—" Micheal started.

"I agree," Tess nodded.

"It's just mindless banter, we can't get out of here anyway," Isabelle leaned against the post. At least she was wearing black leather for her television debut. The pants made her look skinnier than she really was; she liked them.

"Giving up, so easily Isabelle?"

"No, just admitting that until Alex gets here, we're dog chow."

"I wasn't aware you thought so highly of him…"

"I don't, we've just been working on our powers together, and he's a nice guy."

"Sure."

Max looked at the ceiling. There was nothing too extraordinary about it. Just some pipes extending from wall to wall. Interesting. Since he had the time, he scrutinized every detail. He looked at Rath who seemed to be limping. Probably from that fight with Micheal two weeks ago—go Micheal! That was when Liz had saved them. Liz—she didn't want to be with him, but he couldn't blame her. He couldn't bare the thought of her being in this situation.

******

"All right, it's big, it's spacey, it's kinda blue—" Maria began to describe the granolith, and received blank stares from both Alex and Liz. "But we don't know how to use it. Our human brains can't conceive such a thing. Sorry Alex, you were W-R-O-N-G! I mean, we've been standing here saying, 'beam me up Scotty,' for half an hour already! It's not going to work. It they're in trouble, we can't help them!" Maria was scared. It was a time when only her best friends could tell she was worried about Micheal. 

"Maria, we'll get it to work. Just take a sip of my cherry cola, and clear your head," Liz comforted her friend to the best of her abilities. Maria walked outside the pod room. "Alex, we need to figure this out. I know something is wrong. I can just—feel it." Liz looked into Alex's eyes, she knew he was having the same experience.

"I know, Liz, I just can't get 'my powers' to work," Alex was frustrated.

"Well what if we worked together?" Liz was really trying here. "I'll use my powers, and you'll use yours. Maria! Come in here, we're going to try something."

Maria entered the room, "Did the enterprise just contact you?"

Liz shook her head, "Take my hand." The group joined hands in a circle. "Serena told me to get my powers to work, all I had to do was 'will it'. Think about it, not with my head, but with my heart. So, let's all think of something close to our hearts." Liz's mind wandered to Max, and all of their time they'd spent together. What it was like to hold him; to kiss him.

Alex's mind drifted to Isabelle. He cared deeply about her. Then he thought about his family. They were so dear to him—his mind drifted to all of his friends, and the way he cared about them, especially Maria and Liz.

Maria focused on Micheal. She did care about him, deeply. She thought about that sarcastic tone he got whenever she tried to persuade him to do something. She stifled a giggle.

The group sat there, thinking about what was close to their hearts. What mattered most. Nearly fifteen minutes had gone by when a pale blue smoke filled the machine, engulfing the three bodies, transporting them elsewhere on the planet.

******

"People of Antar," Kivar was addressing the screen, "I present your saviors, under my captivity." Kivar motioned towards the royal four. The alien teenagers looked into the screen to see the population of Antar staring back at them. "Say something to your people, Zan."

Surprised by being given the stage, Max was taken aback. He took a moment and opened his mouth, "Do not be fooled by appearances. Kivar may look like he's calling all of the shots, but there's one of him, and millions of you—"

Kivar looked at Rath, nodding, giving him permission to punch Max. 

"They sure have given YOU a beating!" Micheal mused to his beat-up friend.

"Only the royal treatment my friend—" Nicholas smiled, overhearing Micheal's comment.

"People of Antar, watch my power," Kivar turned to the royal four, a gruesome smile on his evil countenance.

******

"This is it," Liz was confident that the warehouse was the building she had seen in her dream. "Now, we need a plan."

Alex nodded, "I say we send in Maria first, as a distraction. You know, act casual, like she's _supposed _to be there."

Maria nodded, "I can do that. Just get me into the doorless, windowless building, and we're set!"

Liz touched the side of the building. She closed her eyes, and began to bring the molecules into a temporary liquid state, allowing Maria to pass.

******

Rath looked at the disturbance in the wall with much confusion. He approached it, and noticed a girl walk through the wall. A girl that was oddly familiar to him.

She ran up to him, and gave him a great big kiss, she had to look like she belonged, "Rath darling, did you forget our little date?" Maria hated playing the 'vibrator' as her mother called them. The air head so to speak. 

"Date?"

"You know, like you promised, you big, handsome, sweet soldier, you," Maria felt as if she was going to be sick. "I missed you!"

******

"In comes the calvary!" Max whispered as his eyes glanced at Maria.

Micheal was shocked. What were Maria's lips doing on that New York trash? Didn't she know that wasn't him? Micheal rolled his eyes. It was just like Maria to mess up. Hello! Micheal wasn't the one with the piercings! Maria was definitely confused. "She thinks that's me."

"Don't flatter yourself, it's part of Alex's brilliant plan," Isabelle laughed at Micheal.

"How do you know that this was Alex's plan?" Max mused.

"Call it intuition."

"Sure."

******

Liz was next to come through the liquid wall. She approached Nicholas, and tapped him on the shoulder, "You got a problem with me, boy?"

Nicholas turned, and looked at Liz. Upon recognizing the girl, he backed up and got into a fighting stance, "It will bring me much pleasure to kill you!!"

"A pleasure I'm afraid you won't know," Liz took a stance similar to that of Nicholas.

******

"What is she doing? Liz is going to get herself killed, I have to stop her!" Max was talking outloud to himself.

  
"You have to stop Liz, and I have to stop Maria! How can she kiss that scum?" Micheal was disgusted by the thought of it.

"You know, you just really burned yourself. I mean, technically that scum is—well—it's you, Micheal. So you just called yourself scum!" Isabelle laughed.

"Yea, yea!"

******

Alex was next to walk into the warehouse. He approached his tied up friends, and removed their bonds, "Go help Maria and Liz, Kivar is mine." Alex wanted revenge for losing his mind to the mad man. 

"All right, I'll go help Liz. Kyle, Tess take care of that other character we don't know. Micheal—Micheal?" Max turned to see Micheal approaching Rath. "All right, Isabelle help Alex with Kivar!" Max rushed to Liz's side to defeat Nicholas.

"Like this is fair!" the little boy whined.

"Does wittle Nichowas miss his mommy?" Liz was mocking Nicholas' apparent age.

"At least I know reality, lady. I know what is and what is not meant to be. And trust me, you and this 'king' are not meant to be!" Nicholas knew the buttons to push.

Liz could feel the tears growing in her eyes. She back up, and used her anger to summon all of the energy in her soul. She brought it together in her concentration, and shot Nicholas with a bolt of blue lightening. The lightening pushed the boy through the wall of the warehouse.

"Not bad," Max nodded at Liz.

"You're bleeding—" Liz pulled a kleenex out of her purse.

******

Micheal tapped Rath on the shoulder, interrupting the make-out fest. When Rath turned around, he got punched in the face by a rather angry Micheal Guerrin, "Nobody kisses Maria but me!"

"My hero!" Maria grabbed Micheal in her arms and leaned in for a passionate kiss.

******

"Halt!" Tess cried at the unknown figure. The figure ignored her and moved on, running through the wall, much to the surprise of both Tess and Kyle. "That was odd…" Tess looked at Kyle.

"You're odd," he countered.

"At least I don't worship the almighty Buddah!"

"At least I live on my homeworld…"  


******

Isabelle approached Kivar from behind. She tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to turn, "I am not Vilandra!" Isabelle yelled at the top of her lungs into his face, and sent him across the room with a karate kick.

Alex ran towards Kivar's motionless body, "I know you're concious." Alex moved back as the figure began to rise to its feet. Alex summoned the powers deep inside of him, awakened by Kivar's presence in his mind. "Leave my friends alone!" Alex yelled as he hit the figure with little balls of fire beaming from his hand. Upon knocking the powerful man out, the figure disappeared. Alex looked at Isabelle, who ran towards him, and enveloped him in her arms. They were safe—for now. 

The group gathered together in the center of the warehouse, "Let's go home now." Max smiled. He was with his friends again, and all was well.

******

"So, Max, where does this leave us?" Liz had taken Max aside at the Crashdown.

"You already stated your position on that yesterday afternoon," Max was still hurt at what Liz had told him.

"What do you mean? I didn't see you at all yesterday. Yesterday afternoon I was with Is—" Liz started.

"Liz make up your mind. I don't want to deal with this crap all of the time. You want to talk about it—we're together—my destiny is Tess? I don't want to be with you because you don't know what you want!" Max was practically yelling.

Liz ran out of the room, and the Crashdown in tears, making Maria follow her.

"What was that about?" Micheal asked.

"Who knows," Tess sat back in the booth and sipped her cherry cola with a smile on her face.

******

The next day was hard. Liz had to work, and she was outwardly upset. She hated working when she was like this. She sighed, and walked onto the floor to serve customers. 

Elly, one of the waitresses approached her, "Are you all right Liz? Is it about Max?"

"Yeah, why?" Liz wiped her eyes.

"It's just Sarah and I think he's really lost it. Yesterday he came in here by himself, talking like he was with somebody. It was really weird. It wasn't just the everyday talking to yourself, it was like full fledged conversation with yourself. A conversation which ended in tears might I add."

"Elly, can you cover for me?" Liz had an idea about what was going on.

"Sure can!"

Upon hearing this, Liz ran out the door, to the Evan's house.

******

Liz ran to Max's window, and knocked on like he had often done on hers. He opened it, "Liz, I've got this big test, and I don't really have time—"

"Max, I didn't talk to you that afternoon. I was with Isabelle discussing fashion, however, I do have a theory about what you thought you saw," Liz was trying to make him believe her. He had to believe her!

"Liz, this week has just been a whirlwind of emotions, and I really need to study—"

  
"It was Tess! She brain warped you! You see, that's why you had a full conversation with yourself in the Crashdown. She managed to brain warp Micheal and Kyle so they believed that I was with you. Don't you see Max, she's trying to come between us again?" Liz's eyes begged for Max to believe her. 

"Liz, I gotta study. I really need to concentrate on this. And it's not that I don't love you, I just can't handle the way you keep changing your mind about us. I can't believe you, I'll just get hurt again…"

"Ask Isabelle!" Liz said as she climbed out of Max's window.

Max sat back and looked at his Chemistry text. He was good at science, he had to ace this test, but he couldn't concentrate on his book, Liz kept running through his mind. He wanted to believe her, and yet he couldn't help but be skeptical. He sat back and began to read again. Again, he thought about Liz, her hair, her eyes, her smile…he had to ask Isabelle—right now! Max closed his text and walked to Isabelle's room, and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Isabelle's voice chimed from the other side of the door.

Max walked in. He looked at his sister, who was on the phone. She mouthed the words, "I'll be just one," to Max. He took a seat at her desk.

"Yea, Alex, I'll see ya then. Nope. No, I wouldn't ever…well…maybe I would!" Isabelle giggled into the phone, causing Max to roll his eyes. "Uh-huh. Back at ya! No. Ok. Later." Isabelle turned to Max after hanging up the phone, "Can I help you Maxwell?" she purred.

"Yea. Just a question. It's gonna sound really dumb, and I already know the answer…"

"Well, spit it out already!"

"Ok, were you with Liz the afternoon before I disappeared?"

"Yah, we were talking about fashion, and I seriously have to take that girl shopping. We need to change that look. I was thinking about a black leather look—you know—very Matrixy. What do you think?" Isabelle inquired.

"You were with Liz?!" Max sat back in disbelief.

"Yeperoonee."

"Nice word, Is."

"Alex uses it. Was that all you wanted to know, because I have to change, I have work…"

  
"Yea," Max walked out of Isabelle's room, closing the door behind him. He had a visit to make.

******

Tess looked up at the ceiling. It looked cool now that she had added glow in the dark stars to it. She smiled. She made the Valenti house livable. It brought her much satisfaction. She stopped admiring her art when she heard a knock on the door. She ran to answer it.

"Max? What are you doing here?" Tess looked shocked.

"I—I didn't want to be alone," Max stuttered. He had to know if Liz was right about Tess. He had to see if she fell for the bait. "Liz and I had a falling out. It really sucked."

"Oh, you mean about her not wanting to be 'with' you. We all know now. Sorry, Max, I guess it wasn't meant to be," Max could sense a tone of delight in Tess' voice beneath all of the sympathy. "I'm always here for you. I mean, us aliens gotta stick together!" 

"Tess, I can't believe you! Why would you brain warp me?! Did you honestly think that I'd leave Liz for you?! I can't believe this! Are you working with Kivar? I mean, that caused me to leave the group, making me vulnerable to become victim to Kivar! What were you thinking!" Max exploded at the blonde girl. 

Tess held out her hand, making Max keep a distance from her, "You fool-hardy king! I wasn't about to play second fiddle to a science queen! Not when I've been queen of an entire world!" Tess was heading for the door. "Kivar promised me exactly what I was looking for—love and power. And I took him up on that offer, can you really blame me?!" Tess ran out the door, disappearing into the unknown world.

Max swallowed, and regained control of his muscles. He couldn't follow her…she would only fight him; her powers were much more defined than his were. He would have to tell the group…but first, he owed someone an apology.

******

Liz had her head buried in her hands, and let the tears stream down her face. He could trust her with his all time secret, and yet he couldn't trust her on this? It didn't make sense, but then she realized, the last two years of her life hadn't made a lot of sense. She began to drown herself in a river of tears, and the sobs rolled like an ocean tide.

****

TAP TAP

Liz looked up, Max was knocking on her window, she was going to get up to let him in, but he held out his hand, telling her not to move. Max put his hand against the glass, and opened it himself. He swallowed hard.

"Liz—I—" Max searched for the words to say. He had hurt her; really blown it this time. "Liz, you were right." Max tried hard to keep from crying. He couldn't bare to imagine the pain he'd put her through. "I declared my love to you, and in the first trials of my love, I failed, twice," Max swallowed hard, and looked at Liz's tearstained face. He'd done that to her! He didn't deserve to be here, or to apologize. "First, I failed when it came to my unwritten 'destiny', then I failed to believe you. To put my trust where it belonged. I am desperately in love with you, Liz—but I don't deserve you," Max sat on Liz's chair. Liz turned and looked at him. "I just wanted you to know that I'm really sorry Liz, even if you don't want—I'm just sorry," Max stuttered over his words. He swallowed, and looked into Liz's eyes. 

Liz stood up, and approached Max. She held his head in her hands, and leaned in for a soft kiss. Through the kiss, she got flashes, many of them. First a picture of Tess keeping Max from moving, then a flash of her telling him about her plan. Liz broke away from Max, "She's been working against us?"

"Yeah," Max ran his hand through his hair. 

"Max, we need Tess. The future version of you told me that. If she's gone, the earth is too," Liz turned, upset from the new news. 

Max placed his hand on her shoulder, "I know, I plan on spending the summer searching for Ava."

"Max?" Liz turned to face him again.

"You said we need Tess, but we don't, we just need a version of Tess…" Max touched Liz's arm. "I love you Liz Parker."

"I love you Max Evans." 

******

"So Tess is evil?" the sheriff was still confused. Max had gathered the group together at the Crashdown after hours to discuss the Tess issue.

Max nodded. "She confessed it all. She's been mind-warping me for a long time…"

"What are we going to do? You all heard Serena, if we split up, the world ends," Isabelle sat back in her chair.

"Liz and I are going to look for Ava during summer break," Max looked at Liz who had a hint of a smile on her face. Him and Liz, together all summer, on a road trip. It was going to be a good summer! "The group isn't splitting up, I'll call every night on our progress."

Maria leaned towards Liz, "I want a postcard from everywhere you stop for the night."

Liz nodded. Maria was only interested in the important issues. 

"Maxwell, I'm coming," Micheal looked at Max.

"Not with me, but you are going to help. We need to cover every state. If we want to find her, we'll have to search very thoroughly. We're going to split up the USA into different zones. Liz and I will hit certain ones, Micheal and Maria will try others, and Alex and Isabelle will try others." Max and Liz had already figured it out. They had talked all night about it.

The group agreed. They would split up, and meet at the Crashdown again in August. 

******

"You know what I wonder," Liz opened up the map. She looked at it, trying to decide what road her and Max should take.

"No, what?" Max took a sip of his cherry cola.

"Why would Tess throw away an opportunity to become queen of her planet?"

"Lack of patience, or faith, or maybe just corrupt power."

Liz nodded. "So where do you want to go first?"

"Riding off into the sunset," Max smiled as he drove against the red and orange hues of the Roswell sunset.

END OF CORRUPT POWER WATCH FOR MY NEXT FIC….PICTURE PERFECT

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